Powder Coating Frequently Asked Questions

What standards does your powder coated aluminium extrusion meet?

Our powder coated aluminium extrusion profiles and components are treated to the highest quality. We work within guidelines from the following British Standards:

BS EN ISO 9227:2006(ASTM B 287) Acetic salt spray test

BS EN ISO 7253 Neutral salt spray test

BS EN ISO 1519/3900 Conical mandrel bend test

BS EN ISO 2409 Adhesion test

BS EN ISO 2360 Thickness test

BS EN ISO 2813 Gloss level test

We are also ISO 9001:2015 accredited for quality management, ensuring you receive only the best quality powder coated aluminium extrusion, and the best levels of customer care.

Q2:

What is powder coated aluminium extrusion?

Powder coated aluminium extrusion is extruded aluminium (in profile or component form) that’s been coated with a thermosetting powder, giving it an attractive, hard-wearing finish. Powder coating is available in a range of finishes, from imitation metallic to vibrant bespoke colours. Powder coated aluminium extrusion is used in a wide variety of applications, from door and window frames to furniture.

Q3:

How many finishes can you provide for powder coated aluminium extrusion?

With our in-house powder coating capabilities alone, we’re able to powder coat aluminium in over 200 stock finishes, ranging from imitation metallics such as silver, brass, and gold to vibrant colours across the spectrum. If you need a colour or finish we don’t stock, we can work with our network of trusted suppliers to source the appropriate solution.

Q4:

Can you powder coat aluminium extrusion in bespoke colours?

Yes, we offer bespoke colours for powder coating. Our in-house facilities coupled with the capabilities of our supply partners means we’re almost always able to find exactly the right powder coating solution for your business. If you’re not sure whether we can cater to your specific requirements, please contact us and we’ll be happy to advise.

Q5:

Does “coated aluminium” mean the same as “powder coated aluminium”?

Not necessarily, no. Extruded aluminium can be finished in a number of ways, including painting, anodising and powder coating. Painting is (we hope!) fairly self-explanatory; anodising involves creating a layer of oxide on the aluminium profile using an electric current and an acid bath; powder coating involves applying a layer of thermo-setting powder that flows into a smooth, hard-wearing layer on top of the substrate. So depending on the context, no: coated aluminium may not always mean powder coated aluminium.

Q6:

Is powder coating aluminium extrusion better than spray painting it?

‘Better’ is a word we like to use carefully at Edmo. What’s right for one project isn’t necessarily the best solution for another, which is why we always take a bespoke approach to our customers’ requirements. Spray painting, which uses wet paint, has its plus sides: it’s ideal for products that can’t be heat-treated (this doesn’t apply to aluminium), and can produce a thinner finish than powder-coating, so it may be better for applications demanding a thin surface finish. Finally, it’s generally cheaper than powder-coating, particularly for small jobs. On the other hand, powder coating aluminium gives a more durable finish in just one coat, where wet painting can require multiple layers to achieve the right finish, and is usually far more corrosion and abrasion resistant than spray painting.

If you’d like to chat to us about whether powder coated extruded aluminium is right for your project, please get in touch - we’re happy to advise.

Q7:

Is powder coating aluminium windows something Edmo can do?

Yes, powder coating aluminium windows, including their frames and components, is one of the many applications we help our customers with. Powder coating aluminium windows helps to protect the metal against the elements, and gives the substrate a neat, attractive and durable finish.

Powder coating aluminium windows can be extremely cost effective, particularly on larger batch volumes. We also offer a range of complementary services to windows manufacturers, including fabrication, extrusion and assembly services. For an exact quote, please contact us and we’ll be happy to advise.

Q8:

Can Edmo free-issue powder coat?

Absolutely. Our dedicated powder coating plant is a limited company in its own right. We offer free issue powder coating services to a large number of customers who go elsewhere for their extrusion and fabrication needs.

Does aluminium need cleaning before powder coating?

Yes, it does - and we’ll take care of the process. Aluminium - and any kind of metal, for that matter - needs thorough cleaning before powder coating to remove any debris, grease and oil.

Cleaning the material prior to powder coating ensures that the paint will adhere effectively, and that there won’t be any lumps, bumps or uneven textures on the item once it’s complete.

We load the items to be coated into a series of baskets. They pass through several cleaning and surface preparation tanks filled with fluids that remove all dirt and chemical residues. Once the cleaning is complete, the items are dried and ready for powder coating.

Q10:

What does the powder coating process include?

Powder coating is a fairly simple process - if you have the right skills and equipment. Our dedicated powder coating facility is designed to make short work of the powder coating process. Because it’s a stand alone facility that deals only in powder coating, each step of the process has its own place.

Firstly, the items to be coated are cleaned in our preparation tanks. They’re then dried and loaded on to a series of jigs, suspended from an overhead conveyor.

The conveyor carries the items to the spray booth, then on to the oven, where they’re baked to set the paint. Once the items have been cured and the paint is set, they continue their journey to the cooling area. Once we can handle them, we get them down from the conveyor, check them to ensure perfect results, then pack them as the customer has requested.

Q11:

What kind of spray gun do you use for powder coating?

We use an electrostatic spray gun in our powder coating department, which induces a positive electric charge to the powder. We apply a negative electric charge to the metal, which then attracts the positively charged powder and causes it to adhere.

Q12:

What kind of oven do you use for powder coating?

We use two kinds of ovens in our powder coating process. Firstly, the items are placed in an infra-red oven that carries out about 60% of the curing process. We then move the items on to the box oven, which heats them to around 200°C for up to 15 minutes.

This process effectively melts the powder to form a smooth, uniform finish on the substrate. When it cools, it forms a hard-wearing and attractive surface.

Q13:

Can you ship powder coated items directly to our customers?

Yes, our dedicated powder coating facility is located next to our assembly and shipping departments. We’re happy to liaise with repeat customers regarding packing and shipping arrangements for powder-coated items.

Q14:

What powder coating colours are there?

Powder coating colours are generally referred to as RAL codes. There are at least 1625 colours that are internationally recognised, and we can offer all of those.

Q15:

Do you offer a colour-matching service at your powder coating facility?

Yes. We’re often asked by customers whether we can match our powder coating colours to existing componentry or colours they’ve seen elsewhere. This isn’t a problem - we can ensure that your powder coated items are the exact colour you require.

Q16:

Can I powder coat at home?

You can certainly try! If you go online, you’ll find plenty of powder coating starter kits that include an electrostatic powder coating machine and an industrial paint system spray gun. You’ll also need to buy a small component curing oven. This may be as much as you need to get the results you want.

You need to adhere closely to preparation and curing parameters if you want to get uniform results from your powder coating efforts. It’s not easy to achieve this without considerable investment and experience, so if repeatability is important to you, it’s best to leave powder coating to the experts.

Q17:

What are the benefits of outsourcing my powder coating to Edmo?

The most obvious benefit is that we have a dedicated powder coating facility right here at our HQ. We’re highly experienced and we’ve got the right staff and equipment to get great results every time.

More specifically, it’s a wise move to outsource your powder coating rather than attempting to do it yourself for a number of reasons:

Cost-effectiveness: powder coating is a big part of what we do. We’ve already invested in the best equipment and ongoing training, so you don’t have to.

Time savings: we’re professional powder coaters, which means we’ll get the job done in half the time it would’ve taken you. Plus, our whole powder coating facility is set up to streamline the process.

Professional equipment: we’ve got state of the art equipment, including cleansing tanks, driers, an infra red oven, a box oven, and a number of electrostatic powder coating guns. It’ll cost you a lot to get the same, and take you a lot of time to learn how to use it all.

Q18:

Is powder coating more effective than painting?

It depends what you mean by effective. Painting with traditional wet paint is quick, easy, simple and cheap. You don’t need any real specialist equipment to do it, and you don’t need a large dedicated area for it.

On the other hand, powder coating gives a far more durable finish. It’s neater, more uniform and much more hard-wearing than wet paint, and it can actually be quicker to powder coat large items than it is to paint them.

Q19:

Can Edmo provide powder coating samples?

Yes - if you let us know what you’re looking for, we’re able to pull together samples at relatively short notice. Contact us directly to discuss your powder coating sample requirements.

Q20:

Can Edmo powder coat steel?

Yes, we can. Our powder coating services are ideal for aluminium, steel and a wide range of other materials. If you’re unsure of whether our powder coating services will suit your needs, please contact us directly.

Q21:

Does Edmo offer gold powder coat?

Yes - we’re able to powder coat in any RAL colour (and there are over 1000 of them) including gold. We can powder coat your items with a matt or high gloss gold finish - just let us know what you need and we’ll tell you what we can do.

Q22:

Does Edmo offer bronze powder coat?

Bronze finished powder coated items are increasingly popular, and we’re able to offer our customers bronze coloured powder coating in a variety of finishes, from high-shine metallic to subtle matt.

Q23:

Is powder coating environmentally responsible?

Yes, particularly when compared to other processes. Powder coating releases virtually no pollutants into the air, and produces less hazardous waste than other liquid coatings. It contains no heavy metals, and the process doesn’t create any hazardous by-products.

No - we offer high-performance commercial and industrial finishes that are suited to a wide range of demanding applications, including automotive and aerospace.

We don’t provide CARC (Chemical Agent Resistant Coating) or military grade powder coating services. If you are looking for this level of coating, please do contact us and we’ll do our best to put you in touch with a reputable provider.

Q25:

How much does powder coating cost?

This is one of those “How long is a piece of string?” questions that’s hard to answer. Powder coating costs are calculated on a case by case basis depending on a few factors:

Whether the job is free issue powder coating or a range of services including powder coating

The size of the batch

The size and complexity of the items

The lead time

Whether the job is a one-off or contracted

We pride ourselves on offering our customers a very competitive deal - we’re able to beat a lot of our competitors because we have a dedicated powder coating facility.

The best way to get an idea of costs (and let’s face it, we all want that) is to contact us directly for a no obligation chat.

Q26:

Do you offer powder coating to customers all across the UK?

Yes and no. Obviously we’re happy to offer powder coating services to anyone and everyone. But, it wouldn’t make much sense for a company in Newcastle to send free issue powder coating work our way.

Customers looking for powder coating and nothing else tend to be relatively local. We’re based in Ross on Wye, so think Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Cardiff and the surrounding areas.

But, if you’re looking for extrusion and fabrication services including powder coating, we’re used to dealing with customers nationwide. Get in touch to discuss what you need.

Q27:

Do you use manual or automated powder coating guns?

Our trained staff use manual, electrostatic powder coating guns. This allows us the flexibility and precision to deal with the huge varieties of products, profiles and components that come through our powder coating department every day.

Automated powder coating guns are better suited to ‘in-house’ jobs - where high volumes of the same shapes and sizes are being coated.